Vehicle axle coupling



April 25, 1939. H. w. JAHN ETA.

VEHICLE AXLE COUPLING Filed sept. 15, 1937 2 spgs-sheet 2 @N1 NN QV QM,

MIN

Patented Apr. 25, 1939 UNITED STATES;

VEHICLE: AXLE i coUPLrNG Herbert W; Jahn and HaroldG. Heridallgchicago; Ill., assignors toc. R. Jahn' Company@ Chicago, Ill., :1t-'corporation of IllinoisY Applicationiseptember 15, 193'?, Serial No; 163,878"

2 Claims. v(01.- 28m-13a) The invention'relatesto improvements in vehicles and primarily to the connection between the" provision of a member providing an'element'ofa connection between Isaid member and axle; said rnemberlbeing capableeof attachment 'to the sills ofthe vehicle frame, said rnemberr being con- 2-structed so that itmay readily 'be attached and detached or separated vfrom the axle to thus allow oneend ofthe Vehicle, particularly the front end to which-'said member is attached, to

be `dropped or lowered to facilitate loadingand 25 f' unloadingA of' the vehicle.

It is a further: object ofthe invention' to provide a member having the above mentioned'characteristics, with means whereby-'said end oflthe vehicle may be elevated Ato a position in which 30' the axle may be associated with said body after loading ofVv the vehicle.

Ini'addition it'isan object of the inventionto form said member of a casting, one end of which is bifurcated to receive the axle thisend :being 45 Theinvention has these and other objects all v of which 4will be explained in detail and more readily understood when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate oneembodirnent fof fwhich .the invention is sus- 50 ceptible, it being obvious that changes andmodi'- rlcationsrnay be resorted'to without departing from thespirit of' the appendedfclaims forming a part hereof.

In the drawings, 5gg;l Eig; 1 isa side4 elevation `of a `vehicle havingthe in'Fig; 3.Y

Fig.` 6 isa" sectional view" taken in'fline 5;-6 of Fieri:

Fig. 7' isla side View' of al portionof the axle employed in'the'device. l

Figi.' isasectional View taken` on line 8;-8201? Fig. 7.

invention" applied thereto; certainr parts thereof` beingshownin section for the purpose of 'illus'- tration;

Fig. 2"iis'."a"plar1A view' of I'a portion' of the'front endof the Vehicle illustrated v'in Fig. 1. 5A

Fig. 'isa pila'n'view of anelemen'tof the' struc-- ture shownin Figs. 1 and'2`. Y Fig.` 4 sectional viewtak'en on line'4-4 of Fig; 3. v

Fig.'5 isa front end 'view of'the'device shown 10' The vehicle shown in' the drawings'v is designed f'orconvyi'ng heavy machinery (such as atractor' excavator,V steam shovel or'the Vlike'.

Tolfa'cilitate'loading and unloading of 'theve-Y hiclethe front axle is detachable fromxthe vehicle bodywhich therebyallows the' adjacent end of the'vehicle bodyto be "dropped and' arranged to allowthe machine to be'transported bythe vehicle to trave'lover the'loweredend of the vehicle,l after which `thelov'veredl 'end is 'elevated to bring 'it to a"positcn in whichthe axle may becoupl'ed with the platform.

Thevehicle shown includes'the rear axle lli, "i the 'beam ormain frame' Il., afplatform.' l2 andY the removable axle generally' designated I3.

Themeans whereby the several above mentioned obiects'andv advantag'esmay be acco`rr1- plished includes a casting generally designated' '15 lil." Oneend suchas, l'nf this castingis designed for attachment 'thereto of the side' frame mein-l bers'of beams respectively designated I6 and 11.! Theopposite end' lof said casting is of a biu furcated character and is fashioned inthis manm ner to receivethe f'ront "axle of the velfiicleVV the axle being ,generally designatedv lil, which as before stated .is designed to `be separably and' re' .Y movably attached Yto the -bifur'cated end of the member generallyfdesignated UL The axle andV the member generally -desi-g-natedrl are sepa-V rably coupled witheachiother thronghithe agency of `a king pini Vwhich' forrr'isv the' axis Vof rota-- tion'in'la horizontal plane'ofthe'axle, transmitsV 50 j draw bar -pull to frame members-assists infmain tainingthe` axle against-1rotation 'on its 'longitudinal axis andfinfradditionf'provides anA ele-f' mentof 1rieans=-whereby the' axlel may Vtilt-'in 'a verj ticalif direction rel'ativef -t the"reinaining-structure 532-? to thus compensate for inequalities in the road Isurface.

The member generally designated I4 is as before stated bifurcated at its front end, the bifurcation being formed by the members respectively designated 2| and 22, between which the axle generally designated I9 is inserted. Each of the elements 2| and 22 are respectively provided with'v the vertically aligned openings respectively designated 23 and 24. These openings 23 and 24 'are provided to receive the king pin 20 and are :fashioned to maintain the king pin against displacement in either a forward or rearward direction, yet will allow displacement of the king pin in lateral directions transverse to said rst :mentioned direction which thereby allows movement of the axle relative to the body in vertical directions or in other words transverse to: its usual rotative movement in a horizontal plane.

From the inspection of Fig. 4 it is readily apparent that the diameter of the openings 23 and 24 in one direction substantially correspond with the diameter of the king pin 20. By referring to Fig. 6 it will be seen that the opening 23, of the bifurcation element 2|, is of a tapered character, the lower part of this tapered opening being of a diameter substantially corresponding to the diameter of the king pin 20, the larger dimension being uppermost, thus the king pin will engage the annular shoulder 24 (see Fig. 6). This annular shoulder forms a pivot upon which the king pin may swing to thus afford movement of the axle in a vertical direction. Since the smaller portion of the tapered opening 23 substantially corresponds with the diameter of the king pin it is manifest that the upper end of the coupling pin is held against displacement in directions either forward or rearward and in directions transverse thereto. The openingi 25 formed in the lower member 22, is of a width substantially corresponding to the diameter of the king pin, however is of length substantially greater than this diameter, and thus provides means whereby the lower end of the coupling pin may move in lateral directions as shown in Fig. 6. VThe end walls 26-26'of the opening 25 are tapered to thus afford movement of the pin and provide a bearing surface for the pin 2|)v when the latter is moved on the pivot 24.

Since the front andvrear walls of the opening 25 are spaced from each other a distance substantially equal to the diameter of the king pin and since the lowermost portion of the upper opening 23 also corresponds in diameter with the diameter of the king pin, it is believed manifest that the king pin is held against movement in either a forward or rearward direction which thus prevents rotative vmovement of the axle upon its longitudinal axis. It is also believed evidentvthat since the lower opening 25 is of an elongated character in one direction, this will provide for movement of the king pin and axle and permit rotative movement of the axle in vertical directions without interfering with ro-V tative movement of the axle in a horizontal plane.

By referring to Figs. 3 and 6, it will be seen that the uppermost member 2 I, of the bifurcation is of a width substantially greater than the lower member 22 and since the axle is of a dimension somewhat less than the distance between the elements 2| and 22, the axle may tilt in vertical directions until the upper and lower surfaces of the axle engages one of the edges such as 2'I--28of the members 2| and 22 Without interference with rotatability of the axle in a horizontal plane and planes substantially corresponding thereto. Here the opposed edges 21-28 of the members 2|22 serve as strike plates limiting the tilting of the axle vertically as compared with the relatively horizontal rotatability of the axle as clearly shown in dotted lines, Fig. 6 of the drawings. The axle I9 is in the present in'- stance formed of an I beam, the web 29 and the flanges at the upper and lower portion of the web, being formedr with the opening 30 for the reception of the, king pin 20, means 3| is arfranged at opposite sides of the opening 30, which is bolted or otherwise connected` to the web of the I beam to thus form a sleeve of substantial strength which surrounds the king pin.

The casting or member I4 is Webbed at various portions thereof to add strength thereto, and in addition is provided with means 32, having the aperture 33 provided therein for the purpose of accepting a hook or chain, for assisting in raising or lowering this end of the vehicle during loading and unloading operations, to thus position this end of the vehicle so that the axle and its associated elements may be readily associated and removed from the body of the vehicle when this is found necessary or desirable.

The casting or member I4 may be provided with means for receiving a mechanism for raising and lowering the front end of the vehicler in the manner herein before referred to and holding this end in an elevated position, to thus 4compensate for a situation in which a mechanical or power driven hoist is not available to raise and lower this end of the Vehicle. To accomplish this the wall 34 of the member I4 is provided with an opening 35 and the wall 36 of the member I4 is provided with an annular boss 3l, which is provided for the reception of a nut 38. This nut 38 is provided for cooperation with the jack screw 39, having the handle and the base or foot piece 4I. The upper portion of this jack screw 39 is guided in an opening 35 and manifestly as this jack screw is operated it causes the front end of the vehicle frame to be raised and lowered in the manner and for the purpose herein before referred to.

From the foregoing description of the invention it is believed evident that a structure is provided capable of being attached to the beams of the Vehicle frame which affords a connection with the axle of the vehicle the structure being formed to provide means whereby the front axle is held for rotation in generally horizontal planes, will prevent rotation of the axle on its longitudinal axis yet will permit the axle to cant or tilt in a vertical direction to compensate for inequalities of the road surface.

It is further believed manifest thatthe invention provides means whereby the end of the vehicle adjacent the front axle may be raised and lowered to facilitate loading and unloading of the vehicle and in addition arrange said end of the vehicle so that the axle may be readily associated with and be removed from the vehicle when this is found necessary or desirable.

Having thus described the invention what we claim and desire to cover by Letters Patent is:

l. In a vehicle having a frame and an axle, a coupling for aixing the axle to the frame whereby said axle may rotate in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of travel of the vehicle, said coupling adapted to be ailixed to the frame andV having a bifurcated portion extending both above and below the axle, a king pin'adapted to pass through each bifurcation o-f the coupling and the axle, a tapered bearing for the pin in each bifurcation o the coupling to accommodate the pivotal movement of the axle with respect thereto in a plane substantially normal to the plane of rotation, and a strike plate on each bifurcation of the coupling providing bearing against which the axle may impinge and thus be limited in its pivotal or relatively vertical movement.

2. In a vehicle having a frame and an axle, a coupling for axing the axle to the frame Whereby said axle may rotate in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of travel of the vehicle, said coupling adapted to be aiixed to the frame and having a bifurcated portion extending both above and below the axle, a king pin adapted to pass through each bifurcation of the coupling and the axle, a tapered bearing for the pin in each bifurcation of the coupling to accommodate the pivotal movement of the axle with respect thereto in a plane substantially normal to the plane of rotation, a strike plate on each bifurcation of the coupling providing bearing against which the axle may impinge and thus be limited in its pivotal or relatively vertical movement, and a jack for raising and lowering one end of said vehicle frame, said coupling providing one member of the jack.

HERBERT W. JAHN.

HAROLD G. RENDALL. 

